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January 31, 2017

Successful leaders do not achieve greatness by accident. Over the course of their careers, they establish principles that are core to the way they approach their roles. For LinkedIn’s CEO Jeff Weiner, these principles start with compassionate leadership. While some may misconstrue compassion as softness or malleability, he argues that truly unconditional compassion can actually require superhero strength. It’s an ideal that challenges one’s confidence, sense of self, and commitment to a vision despite internal doubts and external criticism.

Launching today, Jeff’s second LinkedIn Learning course, On Compassionate Management, teaches viewers what it means to “aspire to manage compassionately.” He describes it as a constant work in progress as compassion is not conditional. This approach will inevitably be easier when managing employees with similar perspectives, however, it needs to be extended to everyone from the top down in an organization to truly drive long-term value.

Jeff also shares his own journey of learning to manage compassionately. He describes how experiences with his own managers early in his career helped shape the leadership style he embodies today. He is mindful of putting himself in the shoes of his team members to better understand what they’re trying to accomplish and what it is that triggers their vulnerabilities or insecurities. He also takes opportunities to coach his team where he can. With this approach, he has been able to build a foundational trust with his team and within the organization, which is crucial for scaling a business.

“At the end of the day, I think one of the most important drivers of long-term value within an organization is the speed and quality of its decision-making. When you cultivate trust, when you cultivate compassionate management, you put yourself and your team in a position where you can be making high quality decisions faster.”

We’re excited to provide a second opportunity for members to learn directly from one of today’s most respected leaders. If you missed it earlier this month, be sure to check out Jeff’s first course On Establishing a Culture and Plan for Scaling, free of charge.